A new set of location-based games have participants poking around the capital, seeking treasure and, inevitably, making pirate 'yeargghhhh!' noises.
For a fiver, Greater London Treasure Trails will send you a colourful booklet of clues, all set in one area of town. You don't need a map. You don't need an iPhone or camera. You don't even need any previous knowledge of the location. Everything you require is in the guide booklet and each clue is followed by directions to the next puzzle.
We road-tested the St Katharine Docks trail - interrogating memorials, scrutinising statues and pondering plaques over a mile-and-a-half route. The quality of the clues was superb and we learned far more about the history of this part of London than we anticipated. (Did you know, for example, that the docks contain a huge block of plastic that almost featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey?)
Upon completing the trail, you'll end up with a one-word solution that enables you to enter a competition with a cash prize. The trails are also supported by a textline that allows you to pick up particularly fiendish answers, or complete the game if the unexpected (e.g. roadworks) prevent you from reaching a clue.
While treasure hunts around the capital are far from a new idea, we genuinely enjoyed the experience and look forward to seeing more titles in the series. £5 is an absolute bargain for 2 hours of historical sleuthing.
Guides covering Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Covent Garden, Bankside and St Katharine Dock are available now from Greater London Treasure Trails, with 'many more' on the way soon.
